Meet Dudley, our Autism Service Dog. Dudley was placed with Ms. Patty for a year to 'puppy raise.' Dudley came to us on January 31st. Dudley immediately bonded with me and our home. Chewie, on the other hand, was a bit more resistant to the idea of sharing 'mom' with this 'mini horse' as John calls him. Dudley took to Chewie and attempted to playfully engage him several times. Chewie returned the offer with a look that could have said, "not in this lifetime, buddy!" Chewie is slowly warming up to Dudley; he also lets Dudley know in typical alpha fashion, "this is my turf and I'm the boss!"
Dudley is a standard Poodle that has 'hair' not 'fur.' This feature alone is helpful for children with animal dandler allergens. Both Chewie and Dudley are considered 'hypoallergenic' animals. Dudley is nearly a year old. Over the next year, we will socialize Dudley to various situations that he must be accustomed to when he is eventually placed with a child. For those who have limited information about Autism Service Dogs, I would encourage you to visit this site: info@autismservicedogsofamerica.com
Here is some information that I researched on Standard Poodles before accepting Dudley: "The Standard Poodle is proud, elegant, dignified and good-natured. These dogs are highly intelligent and one of the most trainable breeds. They are pleasant, happy and sensitive. The Standard Poodle tends to be a bit calmer than the smaller variety of Poodles, but will become high strung if you do not give them the proper amount and type of exercise. They need to be with people and dislike being alone. They are generally friendly toward strangers, and are excellent with children. The Standard Poodle is good with other dogs. Some Standards are good guard dogs and some can be trained as hunters. Make sure you are this dog's firm, consistent, confident pack leader, providing daily pack walks to avoid separation anxiety and other unwanted behavior issues."
Dudley will work for a few hours a day in the classrooms. His job is to remain in a down position for approximately 30 minutes while the children work. Upon the teacher's command, Dudley will interact with the children. We are slowly working up the length of time he will remain in classrooms. He will eventually have to be accustomed to staying in a classroom for several hours as a companion. Dudley is a wonderful acquisition to the school and the setting is perfect for his eventual placement. Please feel free to see me if you have any questions about Dudley.
